Stent-graft prosthesis with pressure relief channels

Abstract

A stent-graft prosthesis for implantation within a body vessel includes a graft material, a frame, and a channel. The graft material includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a graft lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends. The frame is coupled to the graft material. The channel is configured to relieve pressure associated with pulsatile blood flow during implantation of the stent-graft prosthesis within a body vessel. The channel permits blood to flow from an upstream side of the stent-graft prosthesis to a downstream side of the stent-graft prosthesis when the stent-graft prosthesis is in a partially expanded configuration in the body vessel. The channel may be a plurality of channels.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A stent-graft prosthesis comprising:
 a graft material having a tubular construction, the graft material comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a graft lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and a central longitudinal axis; 
 a frame coupled to the graft material; and 
 a channel for relieving pressure associated with pulsatile blood flow during implantation of the stent-graft prosthesis within a body vessel, wherein the channel includes a channel lumen extending from a channel entrance to a channel exit, 
 wherein the channel lumen is a portion of the graft lumen, the channel entrance is disposed through the graft material distal of the proximal end of the graft material and is configured to permit blood flow to the channel lumen, and the channel exit is disposed through the graft material distal of the channel entrance and is configured to permit blood flow from the channel lumen such that the channel permits blood flow from an upstream side of the stent-graft prosthesis through the channel entrance into the channel lumen and out of the channel exit to a downstream side of the stent-graft prosthesis when the stent-graft prosthesis is in a partially expanded configuration, and 
 wherein the stent graft prosthesis is configured such that when the stent-graft prosthesis is in a radially expanded deployed configuration, blood flow is prevented from exiting the channel exit from the channel lumen. 
 
     
     
       2. The stent-graft prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the channel exit is circumferentially aligned and longitudinally spaced from the channel entrance. 
     
     
       3. The stent-graft prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the channel entrance includes a valve assembly with an open state and a closed state, wherein when the stent-graft prosthesis is in the partially expanded configuration, the valve assembly is in the open state and configured to permit blood flow through the channel entrance, and when the stent-graft prosthesis is in the radially expanded deployed configuration, the valve assembly is in the closed state and configured to prevent blood flow through the channel entrance. 
     
     
       4. The stent-graft prosthesis of  claim 3 , wherein the valve assembly is a flap valve. 
     
     
       5. The stent-graft prosthesis of  claim 4 , wherein the valve assembly extends from the channel entrance into the graft lumen. 
     
     
       6. The stent-graft prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the channel exit includes a valve assembly with an open state and a closed state, wherein when the stent-graft prosthesis is in the partially expanded configuration, the valve assembly is in the open state and configured to permit blood flow through the channel exit, and when the stent-graft prosthesis is in the radially expanded deployed configuration, the valve assembly is in the closed state and configured to prevent blood flow through the channel exit. 
     
     
       7. The stent-graft prosthesis of  claim 6 , wherein the valve assembly is a flap valve. 
     
     
       8. The stent-graft prosthesis of  claim 7 , wherein the valve assembly extends from the channel exit to outside of an outer surface of the graft material. 
     
     
       9. The stent-graft prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the channel entrance is a plurality of channel entrances. 
     
     
       10. The stent-graft prosthesis of  claim 1 , wherein the channel exit is a plurality of channel exits. 
     
     
       11. A stent-graft prosthesis comprising:
 a graft material having a tubular construction, the graft material comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a graft lumen extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and a central longitudinal axis; 
 a frame coupled to the graft material, the frame including a body stent coupled to an outer surface of the graft material; and 
 a channel for relieving pressure associated with pulsatile blood flow during implantation of the stent-graft prosthesis within a body vessel, 
 wherein the channel includes a channel lumen extending from a channel entrance distal of the proximal end of the graft material to a channel exit proximal of the distal end of the graft material, the channel lumen being defined between the outer surface of the graft material and an adjacent first segment of the body stent to which the graft material is not attached such that the channel entrance is configured to permit blood flow into the channel lumen and the channel exit is configured to permit blood flow out of the channel lumen when the stent-graft prosthesis is in the partially expanded configuration such that the channel permits blood flow from an upstream side of the stent-graft prosthesis to a downstream side of the stent-graft prosthesis between the outer surface of graft material and an inner surface of the first segment of the body stent when the stent-graft prosthesis is in a partially expanded configuration, and 
 wherein the stent-graft prosthesis is configured such that when in a radially expanded configuration deployed within a vessel, blood flow through the channel is prevented. 
 
     
     
       12. The stent-graft prosthesis of  claim 11 , wherein the frame includes a plurality of body stents and the first segment of each body stent is circumferentially aligned with the first segment of an adjacent body stent. 
     
     
       13. The stent-graft prosthesis of  claim 12 , wherein the first segment of the body stent is a plurality of first segments and the channel is a plurality of channels. 
     
     
       14. The stent-graft prosthesis of  claim 11 , wherein the frame includes at least three body stents, wherein a proximal-most body stent of the plurality of body stents and a distal-most body stent of the plurality of body stents do not include a first segment of the respective body stent unattached to the graft material. 
     
     
       15. The stent graft prosthesis of  claim 11 , wherein the body stent includes a plurality of first segments to which the graft material is unattached and a plurality of second segments to which the graft material is attached, wherein each of the second segments are disposed between adjacent first segments.